Who says that you cannot have scrumptious evening snack without counting your calories? It needs to be rich in nutrients except calories. The right vegetables and some quick recipes are the perfect way to go. Although summers are almost here, healthy soups are filling and tasty not only in winters but throughout the year. Here are two delicious recipes to get you grooving and enjoying a yummy evening snack that is easy to prepare.
Spinach in Lentil Soup
This soup is easy to prepare and is very good for Indian women mainly due to its high calcium content. This soup looks gorgeous and is quite palatable for Indian taste buds. The recipe is also great for pregnant women as well. This is a zero oil recipe, allowing weight-watchers to also enjoy this delicious soup.
- Quarter cup split red lentil (masoor dal)
- A cup of Spinach (paalak)
- 2 crushed cloves of garlic
- Half a cup of sliced red onions
- 2 cups of chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 a cup of toned milk
- 1/2 a tea spoon of chilli powder
- Salt
How to Prepare
- Dry roast the onions and garlic cloves in a pressure cooker, on a medium flame for a few seconds.
- Add the lentil and tomatoes to this mixture combining it with 2 cups of water.
- Mix it well with a spatula
- Prepare it for 2 whistles in a pressure cooker.
- Let the steam escape right before you open the pressure cooker lid.
- Let it cool.
- Once the mixture has cooled, use a mixture to blend it into a purée without any lumps.
- Pour the mixture to a deep pan for preparing the soup.
- Add the rest of the ingredients including spinach, milk, chilli powder, water and salt
- Allow the mixture to boil.
- Continue cooking it at medium flame for a couple of minutes.
- Don’t forget to occasionally stir.
- Serve it with some soup sticks or bread.
Cooking Tips
- Always make sure that when you are preparing the sup, to never leave it unattended when on the stove.
- Use a strainer to remove and avoid lumps.
- You can also add bits of boiled chicken or shrimps like a desi chowder.
Ginger Carrot Soup
This carrot soup recipe requires little oil and is rich in vitamins, especially as an alternative for chicken soup, when suffering from a bad case of cough and cold. Ginger as an individual ingredient too is very good for health and helps fight minor diseases too.
- A cup of peeled and chopped carrots
- A cup of vegetable stock
- A medium sized onion
- An inch of ginger
- A couple of garlic cloves
- A table spoon of Olive oil
- Pepper
- Salt
How to Prepare
- Heat the olive oil in a pan or pressure cooker.
- Add the onions, ginger and garlic.
- Allow the onions to fry until translucent.
- Add the carrots and sauté for a few seconds.
- Add the cup of vegetable stock.
- Pressure cook the mixture for 2 whistles.
- Let the mixture cool.
- Blend it in a mixer.
- Use the soup strainer to then smoothen the mix into soup.
- Reheat the soup, with a half cup of water.
- Add pepper and salt to taste, and serve it hot.
Cooking Tips
- Use low fat oil to make it healthier.
- Add coriander leaves or fresh parsley leaves for garnishing and flavour
With the above two easy yet lip-smacking soup recipes under your belt now, we’re sure you can easily cut down on calories without having to give up on tasty food items. However, in case your professional and social life doesn’t leave any free time for you to cook then just log on to QuikrServices and hire a professional cook who will not just make healthy, tasty food but will also help you cut down on dining out expense.